Nanouk is a young woman of 24 years, she has autism, dyspraxia and intellectual disability. She is rigid, motor monotonous especially forward facing, in her movement. Due to kyphosis, she has a fixed somewhat bent upper back and shoulders. It was difficult for her to relax herself.
For over five years Nanouk has been taking yoga classes from Carrie. Carrie comes to our home and gives the yoga one on one in a separate room. She has a very open and relaxed attitude towards Nanouk, the connection between the two was there right away.
It is truly special to see what yoga has brought about and still brings about. Nanouk is much more aware of her body and she is clearly much less stiff. Through specific exercises, her movements have become more flexible and diverse and the status of the upper back is stable. She applies the breathing techniques she has learned herself at times when she feels it is necessary. She also asks for targeted breathing with us when she cannot do it alone and for targeted relaxation massage. She has been able to make the translation to regulate herself much better when stressed and relax again.
Every week we look forward to yoga, they enjoy it together. Carrie is a professional with her insight, approach and approach to yoga for these special youngsters.
-Marjoleine (mother of Nanouk)-
As a searching person I already have years of experience with different forms of therapy, coaching, self-reflection, yoga,…… But what I experience with Carrie during sessions co-meditations is for me of a completely different order. To begin with, I have only now realized what meditation is, how to do it and what extraordinary powers it has. It is incredible how Carrie manages to bring me to my deepest pains in a calm and safe way while still keeping me connected to my power place, the place where I feel fully connected to myself, feeling powerful and free. By experiencing these 2 emotions so side by side, and transitioning from one to the other, over and over again, I am much more successful at applying this in my daily life as well. I can now see much better when I am reacting from my hurt child and when I am not. By being able to look more at myself without being overwhelmed by all kinds of emotions or guided by unconscious patterns, I can now make much healthier decisions, put my life on a different track.
She also gives meditations to do daily at home, she always knows how to find what I really need at what moment. Because of this, I now manage to really meditate daily myself, and thus make my process much more thorough.
And what I find most special is that such a process can also work online. Since I live in Belgium, I cannot be on site with Carrie and we use zoom. But this does not feel like a hindrance to me at all. Maybe even as an added value that I can experience this from my safe place at home.
To anyone who feels stuck in their life for a while, I recommend Carrie. She brings you to answers that come from deep within yourself, answers that are therefore right for you at this moment. -RC-
I like taking yoga classes with Carrie because it keeps my muscles supple and my body needs this relaxation after a week of hard work. My posture has also improved and I am learning to listen better to my own body. Despite the fact that many of the exercises are strenuous at first, they eventually lead to relaxation. Carrie also listens very well to you if you have physical complaints and then, often without you even noticing it, she adjusts her exercises accordingly so that those complaints diminish or disappear. Also mentally some exercises give a bit of rest because you also try to “turn inside”. This is sometimes a very special experience in relaxation. How special all this is, cannot be explained in a few words so therefore I invite everyone who reads this to follow Carrie’s yoga classes one month so you can experience it yourself. -Carly Kempink-
Carrie’s classes really appeal to me because it is not vague, but you do learn to pay attention to your body and mind. The classes have loosened up all my muscles well and I haven’t had trouble with my back for years, which was always my weak spot. I can recommend yoga to everyone, with Carrie. -Annemartien Berkelaar-
Too bad, I didn’t take the trial class sooner! Then I would have started yoga with Carrie much sooner!
Besides active yoga exercises – don’t think that you only lie down! – Carrie also gives you good tips that you can apply in daily life. Tips related to your way of looking for example, but also tips related to breathing. And it soon becomes clear in her classes that yoga is not about how far you can double-fold yourself. I myself, for example, have already made a lot of progress, but that is mainly noticeable in the disappearance of complaints and being able to deal better with difficult situations. Also, my sense of balance has improved significantly.What I have learned over the past year is that yoga with Carrie is suitable for everyone; from young to old, from fat to thin and from stiff to limber. And what has surprised me greatly … Just when I had the urge to cancel (not feeling well, backache, very tired) and went anyway…. I came back much fitter than I went. -CU-
I went to Yoga to be able to relax, I did have stress at work, due to many changes and I was hoping with Yoga to let go of it better. I have definitely benefited, even though I don’t do much of the exercises at home, I do feel like I have become calmer and come back from class relaxed. The lessons are very versatile and Carrie has a lot of knowledge of Yoga and how the human body works and because of this she can directly respond to your physical complaint(s) and adjust the exercises for you or the lesson on the spot, at least if you have indicated your complaint(s) before the lesson starts. Yoga is really not as woolly as many always think. -C.V.
Before I started yoga, I had an image that probably a lot of people have; lying relaxed on a mat, probably nothing for me. But I had to change my opinion. Carrie’s yoga class is a perfect combination of being active and relaxing. Because my back sometimes gave me problems, I started with yoga. There, I learned how to strengthen your back muscles with certain yoga exercises and that good posture is very important in this. Now that I have been going to yoga for a while, my back actually gives me almost no problems anymore. I am also less stiff and feel a lot fitter. The atmosphere during class is very relaxed and there is also time for a joke. Because Carrie teaches on several days, the groups are nicely divided. You get a lot of personal attention and Carrie helps you if necessary. After a lesson with a lot of effort and then some relaxation, I feel like a completely different person with an empty head. In short, I can recommend it to everyone! -M.K.-
Yoga class from Carrie is a great experience for me. Really with your feet on the ground and with attention in your body. You learn to use your breathing well and consciously. I like to notice that if you listen to your body during the exercises and breathe well, your body feels much more relaxed afterwards. I feel softer and taller after a yoga class. It makes me stronger and brings peace to my mind. Carrie gives good and personal instructions with integrity but also humor! I have been practicing yoga for sixteen years and am sure I will continue to do so as long as I can. Yoga fits me! -Liz D.-